The Nottage family originated in Essex, England and one branch of the family immigrated to South Australia in the 1870’s.

Charles Frederick Nottage and his wife Elizabeth had eleven children, five sons and six daughters. Charles’ eldest son Frederick Edgar Nottage was born in 1880, in Meadows, South Australia and like his father worked in the agriculture sector.

In 1906/7 Frederick Edgar Nottage and his wife Eleanor moved to New Zealand, their first child Basil Robert Nottage is registered as born in New Zealand on 9th August 1907.[i] In 1909 Frederick (Fred) was appointed as one of four, NZ Department of Agriculture Inspectors of Orchards.[iii] Fred was based in the North Island, at one stage being the Inspector for Hawkes Bay.

Nottage family history records that Frederick, an experienced orchardist,

was recruited by Motueka farmer Arthur McKee to set up orchards in the

Motueka area.[ii]

In 1914 Fred had moved to Aporo, Motueka[iv] where he was the Supervisor of

the Tasman Fruit Farms Ltd, Orchards. It is possible that Fred sent to Australia for

two of his younger brothers to come to work in New Zealand, Reuben Nicol Nottage

(24) and Donald Burley Nottage (20).

Frederick Edgar Nottage (seated) and Donald Burley Nottage

10th May 1915

Donald Burley Nottage was born in Undervale, South Australia on the 28th June

1894. On 20th October 1915 Donald was working as an orchardist for his brother

Fred Nottage of Aporo, Tasman, when he enlisted in the New Zealand

Expeditionary Force (NZEF). Two other men from the Aporo orchard also enlisted,

Norman James Adamson and Sydney Reid Dodson.

On the 15th October 1915 seven men were given a farewell at Tasman prior to

leaving the district.[v]

​' Seven local men have left during the past week to join the Reinforcements

It is possible that other men in the photo are Privates C V Townshend and L C Hurley.

The Tasman Boys

Trentham Nov 1915

​Don 4th left

On 8th January, following basic training, 6/3816 Private Nottage left New Zealand as part of C Company, 9th Reinforcements, Canterbury Infantry Battalion. In Egypt the reinforcements were allocated to the main body of the NZEF which was retraining and re-equipping following the Dardanelles Campaign. Private Nottage was promoted to Lance Corporal and Private Dodson, Lance Corporal Nottage and Corporal Adamson were allocated to the 12th (Nelson) Company, 2nd Battalion, Canterbury Infantry Regiment and sailed as part of this Company for service in France.

On 15th September 1916 the Canterbury Regiment, as part of the New Zealand Division, would go “over the top” for the first time in the Battle of the Somme. On the first day of the New Zealand assault Lance Corporal Nottage was killed and Private Dodson was wounded. The wound cannot have been serious as four days later Private Dodson rejoined the 12th Company. On the 23rd September Corporal Adamson was wounded seriously enough to be evacuated to England for treatment. Private Dodson was again wounded on the 1st October 1916 with a ‘gunshot wound to the head’ and was evacuated to the rear and treated in St John’s Hospital, Etaples, France when, a month later, he rejoined the 12th Company.

​On the 18th October 1916 the Nelson paper The Colonist reported that:[vi]

‘Quite a gloom has been cast over the Tasman district by the news that four

local men have fallen in the recent fighting in France. Lieutenant F G McKee and

Sergeant Donald Nottage are reported to have made the supreme sacrifice,